Sherm Lollar
Born: 8/23/1924 in Durham, AR, USA
Died: 9/24/1977 in Springfield, MO, USA
MLB Debut: 1946-04-20 | Final Game: 1963-09-07
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: John Sherman Lollar
Biography
Sherm Lollar was a prominent American baseball player who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1946 to 1963. Born in 1924, Lollar established himself as a reliable position player, appearing in 1,752 games throughout his career. He recorded 1,415 hits, 155 home runs, and 808 RBIs, achieving a batting average of .264. His ability to contribute both offensively and defensively earned him recognition, culminating in nine All-Star selections during his tenure in the league.
Lollar was known for his solid all-around skills, which were particularly valuable in an era characterized by a blend of power hitting and strategic play. He played during a transformative time in baseball, witnessing the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded game. In addition to his offensive contributions, Lollar displayed speed on the base paths with 20 stolen bases, demonstrating versatility in his playing style. His legacy remains significant, as he was a key figure in the evolution of the catching position and a respected competitor in the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1752 | 5351 | 623 | 1415 | 244 | 14 | 155 | 808 | 20 | 671 | 453 | 0.264 | 0.357 | 0.402 | 0.759 | 7675.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | CLE | AL | 28 | 62 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0.242 | -24.1 |
| 1947 | NYY | AL | 11 | 32 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.219 | 0.0 |
| 1948 | NYY | AL | 22 | 38 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.211 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | SLA | AL | 109 | 284 | 28 | 74 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 49 | 0 | 32 | 22 | 0.261 | -21.6 |
| 1950 | SLA | AL | 126 | 396 | 55 | 111 | 22 | 3 | 13 | 65 | 2 | 64 | 25 | 0.280 | 1172.5 |
| 1951 | SLA | AL | 98 | 310 | 44 | 78 | 21 | 0 | 8 | 44 | 1 | 43 | 26 | 0.252 | 262.9 |
| 1952 | CHW | AL | 132 | 375 | 35 | 90 | 15 | 0 | 13 | 50 | 1 | 54 | 34 | 0.240 | 627.9 |
| 1953 | CHW | AL | 113 | 334 | 46 | 96 | 19 | 0 | 8 | 54 | 1 | 47 | 29 | 0.287 | 826.2 |
| 1954 | CHW | AL | 107 | 316 | 31 | 77 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 34 | 0 | 37 | 28 | 0.244 | -218.5 |
| 1955 | CHW | AL | 138 | 426 | 67 | 111 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 61 | 2 | 68 | 34 | 0.261 | 947.4 |
| 1956 | CHW | AL | 136 | 450 | 55 | 132 | 28 | 2 | 11 | 75 | 2 | 53 | 34 | 0.293 | 1327.0 |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 101 | 351 | 33 | 90 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 70 | 2 | 35 | 24 | 0.256 | 289.4 |
| 1958 | CHW | AL | 127 | 421 | 53 | 115 | 16 | 0 | 20 | 84 | 2 | 57 | 37 | 0.273 | 1346.1 |
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 140 | 505 | 63 | 134 | 22 | 3 | 22 | 84 | 4 | 55 | 49 | 0.265 | 1171.5 |
| 1960 | CHW | AL | 129 | 421 | 43 | 106 | 23 | 0 | 7 | 46 | 2 | 42 | 39 | 0.252 | -310.5 |
| 1961 | CHW | AL | 116 | 337 | 38 | 95 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 41 | 0 | 37 | 22 | 0.282 | 243.7 |
| 1962 | CHW | AL | 84 | 220 | 17 | 59 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 1 | 32 | 23 | 0.268 | 137.2 |
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 35 | 73 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 0.233 | -101.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0.308 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | WS | CHA | 6 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0.227 |
| 1947 | WS | NYA | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.750 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 27 | 23 | 184 | 17 | 1 | 19 |
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 1571 | 926 | 7059 | 688 | 62 | 101 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | CLE | C | 24 | 0 | 89 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 1947 | NYA | C | 9 | 0 | 44 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948 | NYA | C | 10 | 0 | 36 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1949 | SLA | C | 93 | 0 | 279 | 39 | 4 | 3 |
| 1950 | SLA | C | 109 | 0 | 367 | 48 | 8 | 9 |
| 1951 | SLA | C | 85 | 0 | 361 | 48 | 2 | 8 |
| 1951 | SLA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952 | CHA | C | 120 | 0 | 590 | 53 | 7 | 4 |
| 1953 | CHA | C | 107 | 0 | 470 | 51 | 3 | 2 |
| 1953 | CHA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | CHA | C | 93 | 84 | 395 | 38 | 3 | 8 |
| 1955 | CHA | C | 136 | 130 | 664 | 62 | 4 | 12 |
| 1956 | CHA | C | 132 | 123 | 679 | 40 | 5 | 6 |
| 1957 | CHA | C | 96 | 90 | 454 | 45 | 1 | 5 |
| 1958 | CHA | C | 116 | 112 | 597 | 63 | 9 | 8 |
| 1959 | CHA | C | 122 | 106 | 623 | 51 | 5 | 14 |
| 1959 | CHA | 1B | 24 | 23 | 177 | 17 | 1 | 19 |
| 1960 | CHA | C | 123 | 111 | 555 | 54 | 3 | 12 |
| 1961 | CHA | C | 107 | 93 | 464 | 48 | 1 | 6 |
| 1962 | CHA | C | 66 | 59 | 298 | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| 1963 | CHA | C | 23 | 18 | 94 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 1963 | CHA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1573 |
| First Base | 28 |
| Third Base | 1 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Gold Glove | C |
| 1959 | TSN All-Star | C |
| 1958 | Gold Glove | C |
| 1957 | Gold Glove | C |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 44.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1958 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 57.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1957 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1956 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 16th | 27.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1955 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 37.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1950 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 27th | 4.0 | 336 | 0 |